A teenager, Miss Esther Adeokin who reclaimed her lost but found android handset at the Hajjcamp bus terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, on Friday has applauded the driver, Mr Shina Okedeyi who helped him to keep the handset and the entire members Airport Limousine Operators at the Lagos airport for their good deeds.
with the assistance of one of the drivers operating limousine buses between Medical Road, Bus Park, Ikeja and Hajjcamp Bus Park, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, has commended the driver and other members of Limousine Bus Operators Association for their good deed
Adeokin who described the drivers as good ambassadors of aviation industry in Nigeria.
Speaking with African Business Travel News ( ABTN) shortly after she was handed the Techno Spark handset, the teenager explained how she boarded the bus at Medical Road, Bus Park, Ikeja to Hajjcamp Bus Park, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and alighted at Bessam Bus Stop along the Airport Road before she discovered that her handset was missing.
According to her: “I boarded a bus going to NAHCO/ Hajjcamp at Medical Road Bus Terminal this morning. My seat was directly behind the driver’s. Sincerely speaking, I can’t explain how I misplaced my handset. I didn’t realize that my handset was not in my bag until I got home after I had alighted at Bessam Bus stop along the airport link road.
“When I discovered that my handset was missing and asked my friend to call my line. The call went through, picked and the voice from the other end identified himself as an airport bus driver.
“Without waiting for our explanation, he instructed us to come to their park at Hajjcamp to claim the handset.
“On getting to the park, I met some members of the drivers association who asked me some questions to actually authenticate my ownership of the handset. After convincing them, they brought out my handset. I was very happy to see my handset again!! In fact, I thought it it was gone forever. Though, the handset means a lot to me but the line and the information on it are of inestimable values.
“I want to say that these drivers are good people. They are good ambassadors of our country and this airport in particular. Only Almighty God can reward them for what they did today. At least for a driver to return an handset that costs about N100,000.00 means that they are very honest Nigerians, who deserve greater rewards not only from man but God. One other important thing I noticed about them is that they are well organized and disciplined. I never thought commercial drivers in Lagos State could be as honest, well organized and disciplined as I met them. I am very proud of them. They gave me my handset without requesting for any form of compensation.”
The driver, Okedeyi told our correspondent that Miss Adeokin’s case was not the first case of lost but found goods that were returned to their owners in the course of his operating as a Limousine bus driver at the Lagos airport.
He told our correspondent how he discovered the lost handset after every passenger had alighted from the bus. He explained that after speaking with the owner and reported and handed it over to the task force of the association for safekeeping in line with the association’s rules
” It was when I got to the park at Hajjcamp terminal that I noticed that a handset was ringing in my bus. When I move closer, I discovered that the sound was coming from the seat directly behind the driver’s seat. I picked it and answered the call. The voice from the other end told me that the phone belongs to her friend and it was lost this morning. I today her to come with the owner to Hajjcamp Airport Limousine bus park to claim it. I instructed her to ask for the Taskforce of the Limousine bus Operators when she gets to the park and that must come with clear evidence of authentic ownership to claim the phone.
“The voice on the other thanked me and promised to come over to our park as I instructed her.
“Good enough, I was yet to load for the return trip to Ikeja when she came. She met with our Taskforce officials who interviewed her and later confirmed that she is the authentic owner of the phone.
The Taskforce invited me to meet the phone owner and to confirm that it was delivered to the rightful owner. That was the reason you see me here.
“This is not the first case of finding passengers’ belongings and return them to the rightful owners. Some forgot bags, clothes, umbrellas, very expensive handsets etc When we discovered any of them; they are kept in our office for the owners to claim at their convenient time without changing them anything.
On his message to foreigners and Nigerians who use our airports daily, Okedeyi said: “I believe this is my own contribution to make Nigeria great. Because whatever happens at our airports, especially the international airports, tells foreigners and other users of the airport about what to expect from Nigerians when they get to the cities and towns in the country. I don’t believe Nigerians are bad people. There are many good and honest people in Nigeria. But the few ones who are bad are those painting us in bad colours. I want Nigerians in diaspora and foreigners to believe in the greatness of Nigeria and also trust those of us here, especially at the airport that we are good and honest Nigerians, “
